The head of the Gambia Victims’ Centre has told this medium that the situation of victims of the Jammeh era is tragic more so on account of the way and manner the present government is handling their welfare.

Sheriff Kijera says the situation of the victims under the Barrow-led government is a repetition of the Yahya Jammeh era, as nothing much has really changed in terms of their welfare.

“They give lots of empty promises and try to say they are making some efforts whilst in actual fact they are playing politics,” Mr Kijera says. “What the victims have gone through during the former President Yahya Jammeh era is a repetition of what the Barrow government is doing to the victims as a way of traumatizing and completely ignoring them.”

He reiterated that the victims have come to a point where a lot needs to be done in seeking legal measures to push their cases to a court of law and challenge the government on reparation among other issues.

Kijera noted that they have seen the lack of empathy and sincerity of those holding public offices and state resources.

“There is a lack of leadership in our country and in government,” he contended, saying: “The country is being high-jacked by cartels that are running the show by Jammeh’s criminals. People cannot acquire three meals per day and it’s very unfortunate. Cost of living is very expensive; there is lack of security as the government is not serious about the security sector reform among many other components of the transitional justice programme.”

The victims’ head explained that the entire project of the transitional programme is a political gimmick and a route show to tap resources from foreign donors.

He alleged that some of those resources would be used for workshops, travelling allowances and “baseless meetings while forgetting the change that Gambians yearn for”.